White Wizzard Interview

____________________________________________________________________________“We’re bringing the old vibe back…we’re not trying to bash your face in with the heaviest riff we can come up with…we’re just trying to have fun…,” said Wyatt Anderson lead vocalist for Earache Records latest artist White Wizzard. Influenced by the likes of Iron Maiden and Diamond Head , White Wizzard serves up a less hostile version of metal, modeling their sound and style that is reminiscent of early 80’s New Wave of British Heavy Metal.

Stubble: This is Jeff and I am hanging out with?
Wyatt: Wyatt Anderson from White Wizzard.

Stubble: How would you describe your sound?
Wyatt: We are considered a Traditional Metal band, like the New wave of British Heavy Metal sound (Iron Maiden, Diamond Head, Saxon, etc).

Stubble: How is the scene down in LA? Obviously you must be getting…
Wyatt: It’s mainly a glam rock scene. Our main target audience I believe is Europe. We went to England in December to play our record label’s Christmas party (Earache Records) and the place was completely and utterly packed; everybody was singing along to our songs, which kinda shocked me because I’ve never had that happen before…those people basically live and breath heavy metal.

Stubble: Well you might be able to do it. What other bands do you know are big in Europe?
Wyatt: Primal Fear. Iced Earth…

Stubble: What about the HOF?…
(pause)

…Dude he is selling out 50,000 people stadiums!
Stubble (Alex): Doesn’t really count. Stubble: David Hassaulhauff.Stubble (Alex): Germany.Stubble: Is it just Germany?Stubble (Alex): Yeah just GermanyStubble: Germany’s a big ass country dude!Stubble (Alex): Not that big.Stubble: The market is flooded with the grunters & growlers…
Wyatt: That’s the appeal to our sound right now. Everybody is tired of that over saturation of all that growling music. Everybody trying to be heavier than everybody else, trying to be more brutal than everybody else, and we’re just bringing it back to having fun. We’re not trying to bash your face in with the heaviest riff we can come up with. We’re just trying to have fun.

Stubble: Are you thinking of putting on the colorful tights to really go back to the 80’s? Some fire maybe?
Wyatt: No, no, no. Our basic style of dress is denim and leather, that’s all we wear. If you look at Iron maiden back in the day and actually even today, they dress the same way: jeans, t-shirts, and leather pants.

Stubble: You guys thinking of having an ‘Eddie’* or something? (*Iron Maiden mascot)
Wyatt: Well we kinda got one, if you watch our video…

Stubble: …is that GTO?
Wyatt: Yeah we got the White Wizzard…so there you go.Stubble: So who picked the White Wizzard? Is it Gandolf? Gandolf the White?
Wyatt: Yes…Gandolf the White…

Stubble: The white…is it for Cocaine? (laughing)
Wyatt: No,no…Stubble:“White Wizzard baby!! We’re getting high all nightlong!”
Wyatt:Nothing to do with it. White is the purest color of the spectrum and wizzard is all about magic…

Stubble: Are you going to do any magic? We gonna see any magic?
Wyatt: You’re gonna see some when we get stage.

Stubble: So you have an album out now?
Wyatt: It’s coming out in March. The new album that is coming out is with this line up tonight. It is called ‘Over The Top’. The art work was done by Cameran Davis who does all the guitar hero artwork. We were pretty well pleased from what we got from him. The album turned out really, really well. We had Ralph Patland produce it; he’s worked with UFO, Megadeth, Michael Schanker, so he knows pretty much what he’s doing with this style of music. We’re real pleased with it. Stubble: What’s up next for you guys?
Wyatt: In March (2010) we go to England to play Hammerfest. We’re also on tour with Ed Guy.

Stubble:Ed Guy or Ed Gein…named after the serial killer?
Wyatt: No, no, E D G U Y, another power metal band popular in Europe

Stubble: “I wear your face” (laughing). So who is headlining Hammerfest?
Wyatt: Iced Earth is Headlining. We are headlining the second stage.

Stubble: Any last words?
Wyatt: Just be ready for 2010. Wait for us. We’re coming to ya, we’re gonna blow your asses away.